Home - Mt. Diablo Unified School District (2024)

Yondr cell phone pouches at MDUSD high schools improve student engagement and interactions

When Governor Newsom sent a letter to every school District in the state last week encouraging them to limit cell phone use in schools,reportersstarting calling MDUSD to find out about new Yondr cell phone pouches being used at Mt. Diablo HS and Ygnacio Valley HS in Concord this year, after they were successfully piloted at Olympic HS and Prospect HS last year.

Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark spoke about the Yondr bags during hisreportto the School Board on Wednesday, saying the District is piloting the pouches at two new schools this year so that students can have the best experiences possible on the campuses. "If our students spend that time with their faces buried in their phones – texting, online, on TikTok, or whatever – then they re going to miss out on friendships, on the extracurricular activities, and more importantly, on the instruction that’s taking place in their classrooms," he said. "Four or five days into it, it's getting positive results." He said Mt. Diablo HS students are reportedly jumping rope at lunchtime and teachers say their students are more engaged than they were before.

Dr. Clark explained that each student receives a Yondr pouch - just like they receive textbooks - and they are required to turn their phones off and put them into the pouch and lock itvia a magnetic system. At the end of the day, it is unlocked. Many parents think the program is great, while some are concerned about safety, he said, adding that the pouches could be unlocked in the event of an on-campus emergency.

If the pilots are successful, Dr. Clark said Yondr pouches could be introduced at College Park, Concord and Northgate high schools next year, but administrators would have to start having conversations with staff, students and parents in January or February to ensure a smooth transition. If that happens, the Board could consider implementing a Districtwide policy regarding limiting cell phone use next year, he said.

Board Member Cherise Khaund said she noticed that Olympic HS seemed more peaceful after implementing the Yondr pouches when she visited that campus last year. "The principal seems to know every single student's name and people are really interacting, so I’m really looking forward to going out to Mt. Diablo HS and Ygnacio Valley HS and seeing how those interactions can happen now," she said, adding that adults, too, miss out on social interactions when they spend time in public on their cell phones. "Being able to change that culture and allow people to interact, I think, is going to be a really special opportunity."

Social Work Specialists posted photosonInstagram(below),showing students playing games and chatting with each other, with the caption: "No phone, no problem! Wellness Centers at Olympic, Mt. Diablo, and Ygnacio Valley high schools have provided fun lunchtime activities where students are building community and making memories. Who said high school kids don’t love to PLAY?!"

Students at Wellness Centers play games and interact with each other during lunch.

MDUSD Development Fee Implementation Study and District Budget and Enrollment reports available for public review

MDUSD is making its Development Fee Implementation Study and the District's Budget and Enrollment reports available for public review starting August 16, 2024 at the MDUSD District Office, 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord.

These documents will be available for public inspection during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) weekdays until the Governing Board approves them. The District anticipates that these items will appear on the August 28, 2024 Board Agenda. However, that agenda will not be finalized until 5 p.m. Friday, August 23. After that time, the documents may also be posted with the agenda here.

Friday Letter - August 16, 2024

This week's MDUSD Friday Letter spotlights:

• Yondr cell phone pouches at Mt. Diablo High School, Ygnacio Valley High School, Olympic High, and Prospect High;
• District news including our new student Board member is sworn in and the Board ratifies summer administrative appointments, Fentanyl Awareness Day on August 21, and the first day of school,
• School news includingConcord High School’s seniorchalk art and BBQ, and social media highlights from Valhalla, Sun Terrace, Bel Air and Mountain View elementary schools; Pine Hollow, El Dorado and Sequoia middle schools; and Concord, Olympic, and Northgate high schools and the College Now program at DVC;
• Social Media Staff highlights featuring our dedicated staff atBel Air Elementary, Olympic & Concord high schools & Holbrook Language Academy;
• alumni news featuring Amit Elor, an Olympic Gold Medalist in women’s wrestling, who attended College Park High School and graduated from MDUSD's Horizons Independent Study Program;
• and more!

You can read it here.

MDUSD announces new District and school administrators for 2024-25

This post was updated Aug. 15, 2024.

MDUSD is pleased to announce the following new administrative appointments for the 2024-25 school year.More information about Board-approved administrators is available by clicking on their names below.

District Administrators

• Chief of Educational Services: Samantha Allen
• Executive Director ofFiscal Services:Gustavo Aguilera
• Executive Director of Human Resources and Risk Management: Ryan Sheehy
• Director of College and Career Readiness: Heather Fontanilla
• Director of Elementary Support: Erin DeMartini
• Director of Multilingual Education:Kathryn Fireman
• Director of Secondary Support: Ruth Steele
• Director of Student Services: Marji Calbeck
• Assistant Director of Multilingual Education: Chitra Bhardwaj
• Assistant Director of Partnerships and Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports: Celeste Kitts
• Elementary School Support Administrator: Lauren Ashton
• Family Involvement and Community Engagement ProgramCoordinator, African American Student Achievement: Lamont Francies
• Instructional Program Specialist, Differentiated Support: Diane Fitzpatrick
• Program Administrator, SEEC: Carrie Buchek
• Program Specialist, Counseling & Restorative Practices: Pedro Arroyo
• Social Work Specialist: Vanessa Castillo
• Civil Rights Officer and Title IX Coordinator: Kristy Avila

School Administrators

• Principal at College Park High School:Levirt Griffin
• Principal at Ygnacio Valley High School: Peter Crutchfield
• Principal at Ayers Elementary School: Olivia Wong
• Principal at Bancroft Elementary:Linda Flynn
• Principal at Delta View Elementary:Joseph Bruno
• Principal at Fair Oaks Elementary:Amy Monaghan
• Principal at Shore Acres Elementary:Lisamarie Gascot Reyes*
• Principal at Walnut Acres Elementary School: Martha Thomas
• Principal at Wren Avenue Elementary School:Tiffany Jones**
• Vice Principal, Loma Vista Adult Education: Andrew Foerder
• Vice Principals at College Park High School:Stephanie MarpleandNeal Finch
• Vice Principal at Concord High School: Kevin Honey
• Vice Principal at Prospect High School: Charles Harrington
• Vice Principals at Ygnacio Valley High School: Rimy Dhillon and Carissa Weintraub
• Vice Principals at Oak Grove Middle School: Hsaio-Fen Leopold andMegan O'Malley
• Vice Principals at Riverview Middle School: Herbert Gomez andRonald Richardson
• Vice Principals at Sequoia Middle School: Carolyn Hull and Ifeyinwa Obi
• Vice Principal atValley View Middle School: Daniel Buhler
• Vice Principal and Program Specialist for Site-based Categorical Programs at Bel Air Elementary School: Edmund Perryman
• Vice Principal at Meadow Homes Elementary:Ruby Ortega
• Vice Principal at Mt. Diablo Elementary School: Miranda Romo
• Vice Principal at Shore Acres Elementary School:Angelica Zanipatin
• Program Specialist at Oak Grove Middle School: Sheilan Kazzaz

In addition, the Board extended the contracts of Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark and Chief Business OfficerAdrian Vargas through June 30, 2027. The Board also granted Superintendent Clark the authority to make additional administrative appointments over the summer, which were ratified by theBoard on August 14th.

*Lisamarie Gascot Reyes was originally appointed Principal for 2024-25 atWren AvenueElementary on June 26, but was reassigned to Shore Acres after Principal Miguel Rodriguez resigned in July.

**Tiffany Jones was originally appointed Vice Principal for 2024-25 at Shore Acres Elementary in April, but was reassigned as Principal at Wren Avenue Elementary effective July 29.

MDUSD HS students earn college credit, get work experience through Summer Internships

While most District students were enjoying time off during the summer, about 62 MDUSD high school students worked in internships through the District's Career Pathways program and earned college credit as they learned life skills and career skills in partnership with 22 industry sector hosts including MDUSD, the Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. Eight students from Mt. Diablo HS, College Park HS, Ygnacio Valley HS, and Prospect HS completed Young Healers Student Internships atJohn Muir Health.

This was the 8th year the District has offered summer internships, which include four days of work each week and one day of workshops or trips to places such as Diablo Valley College to learn about their education and career options after graduating from high school. The program held a celebration July 31, where interns and employers received certificates and some shared their experiences with the group.

MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark said the District's main goal is to prepare students for college and careers. He thanked the business partners for mentoring the students and thanked parents for allowing them to experience these special opportunities. Heather Fontanilla, MDUSD's Director of College and Career Readiness, said the internship hosts provide tremendous value to the students and noted that students learned skills that will help them no matter what careers they choose, such as how to work in teams.

Interns said they appreciated the opportunities and hosts said they were very impressed by the professionalism of the interns. More information about MDUSD's Career Pathways programs ishere. To see some of the interns in action, click on the Career Pathways Instagram account here!

Foothill MS is a named an "Ocean Guardian School" for its composting and conservation efforts!

On the heels of being named a "California Green Ribbon School" last spring for its campus conservation efforts, Foothill Middle School in Walnut Creek is pleased to announce that it has also been named anOcean Guardian Schoolby the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries! The recognition is based on stewardship activities undertaken by the school's Environmentally Concerned Kids (ECK)Club, led by science and STEAM teacher Devin Jackson.

The students composted food waste in a school garden area and communicated information to all of the school community - including students, teachers, staff, and parents - about their Ocean Guardian School project, the national marine sanctuary system, and the land-ocean connection, said Jackson, who applied for the recognition and grant to help fund it. Foothill Middle School is situated in the Walnut Creek watershed, which includes Grayson-Murderers, Concord, Pine-Galindo, San Ramon, and Las Trampas sub-watersheds, he said, noting that the estimated population living within the boundaries of the Walnut Creek watershed is 339,100 people.

Club members plan to use their grant money to improve the E.C.K. club pollinator and vegetable (pesticide-free) garden area, with a goal of creating an edible garden and working toward becoming a Zero Waste school by thinking globally and acting locally.

Well done!

Foothill MS students l-r (front) Joey De Lucia, Sienna Reed, Graysen Jain, Owen Howett and (back) Alexander Chala, Charlie Yau, and Matteo Giangregorio helped the campus earn recognition as an NOAA Ocean Guardian School through composting and other projects as part of the Environmentally Concerned Kids (ECK) Club.

Friday Letter - August 9, 2024

This week's MDUSD Friday Letter includes:

• "Welcome Back!";
• Spotlight on MDUSD's Career Pathways Summer Internships;
• District news including new administrative appointments, an upcoming Board meeting and Parent Conference, HOPE becomes SOAR, CARES Expanded Learning Summer Program Highlights, & Register now for Fall Adult Education courses;
• School news including Foothill MS is a named an "Ocean Guardian School" for its composting & conservation efforts, and Meadow Homes Elementary welcomes a diverse student population of Multilingual Learners;
• School Social Media Highlights from elementary construction sites, Gregory Gardens, Valhalla and Sequoia elementary schools; and El Dorado, Riverview, Pine Hollow and Valley View middle schools;
• Student Social Media Highlights from Mt. Diablo HS, and the MDUSD Summer HS Graduation including Olympic HS grads;
• Staff Social Media Highlights from Valhalla, Monte Gardens & Mt. Diablo elementary schools & Pine Hollow MS;
• and more!

You can read it here.

Message from Superintendent: Great First Day!

The following message was sent by MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark to all District parents, guardians and staff members after the first day of school on Aug. 8:

Dear MDUSD Parents and Guardians,

I am incredibly excited to welcome you all to the 2024-2025 academic year! Today marked the first day of what will be an outstanding year for our students—from our enthusiastic Transitional Kindergarteners stepping into school for the very first time to our high school seniors beginning their final year before graduation.

The enthusiasm in our classrooms was through the roof, with students across every grade level eager to reconnect with friends, meet their new teachers, and start new learning experiences. Our committed teachers and staff have gone above and beyond to create a welcoming environment.

I'm pleased to share our major renovation projects at Meadow Homes, Mt. Diablo Elementary, and Rio Vista are nearing completion. Despite the ongoing work, the remarkable staff at these schools have worked tirelessly to make sure everything was ready for the first day. Their dedication to our students' education and well-being is inspiring. Hats off to all of them.

On this first day, our dedicated cafeteria teams served healthy meals to students, our custodial staff made sure that every corner of our schools was pristine, and our office staff worked hard to implement systems for a smooth and effective school year. Every member of our MDUSD team has played an essential role in making this first day a success, and I am deeply appreciative of their efforts.

I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our parents and families. Your support and trust in us to educate your wonderful children means the world. We are honored to partner with you, and we look forward to a year filled with positive experiences for all.

Here's to an outstanding school year ahead!

Thank you,

Dr. Adam Clark
Superintendent
Mt. Diablo Unified School District

MDUSD 2023-24 School Year in Review: Highlights from the Friday Letter

As we prepare to welcome back students and staff on Thursday, August 8th, we are taking a look back on the incredible achievements highlighted in our Friday Letters throughout the 2023-24 school year.

The highlights are included in four sections:

• student successes,
• school and District program spotlights,
• staff and community recognitions and spotlights, and
• special events and outreach.

You can read it here.

Watch for the first Friday Letter of the 2024-25 school year on Friday, August 9th!

MDUSD Board extends Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark’s contract after a positive evaluation

The Mt. Diablo Unified School District is pleased to announce that the Governing Board has extended Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark's employment contract for three more years after he received a positive evaluation.

The Board unanimously approved the new contract on June 26th. It extends from July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2027 and includes a 7% salary increase instead of the 9% raise that District employees are receiving on July 1st.

Board President Erin McFerrin announced that the Board gave Dr. Clark a positive evaluation during its Closed Session. "We commend Dr. Clark on his excellent leadership, focus on students, commitment to systems-level lasting improvementsand unifying our educators and staff to take action around our equity goals," McFerrin said. "Dr Clark, we’re very grateful to have you here and for your leadership." Board Member Cherise Khaund thanked Dr. Clark for his leadership and added, "we're excited to have you continue on with us."

Dr. Clark was originally appointed Superintendent of MDUSD effective July 12, 2020 for a three-year term. In 2021, the Board extended his contract through June 30, 2024. Then in 2022, the Board extended it through June 30, 2025.His new contract adds two years to his previous extension.

"I'm honored to serve the students and staff and community of Mt. Diablo Unified," Dr. Clark said."I believe that it's been a successful four years so far and I look forward to the years to come."

Dr. Clark was named as a "2022 Superintendent to Watch" by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) and is currently President of the California Association of African American Administrators and SuperintendentsAssociation (CAAASA).

He began his education career in 1994 as an elementary teacher in the West Contra Costa Unified school district. From there, he transitioned to school leadership in Contra Costa County, servingas a middle school vice principal, elementary school principal, middle school principal, and high school principal. He then moved intodistrict office roles,servingas the Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Student Services in the Liberty Union High School District and as the Associate Superintendent of Educational Services in Antioch Unified. Before being appointed to lead Mt. Diablo Unifiedin 2020, Dr. Clark served as superintendentfor three yearsin theVallejo City Unified School District.